CHAPTER 13

OPHELIA'S POV

I pull up at my school and see an empty spot a few rows behind. I quickly park my car and turn off the ignition. I was really late.

Like really late.

That little visit from Azrail had shaken me up.

I get out of my car and run to my first class. I had literature with Mrs. Wilson, which was also the only class I shared with Xavier.

"It was nice of you to join us, Ms. White. Would you mind telling us why you were late this morning?"

The Angel of Death had decided to pay me a visit. That's why Mrs. Wilson.

Yeah, I definitely can't say that.

"There was traffic on the way. I'm sorry, Miss. I will take care next time."

"Very well, Miss White. Please take your seat."

There were three empty seats.

One in the front row; Nah.

One behind Sara, the teacher's pet; there's no way.

One in front of Xavier. I'll take that one.

I quickly settle and take out my copy of The Catcher in the Rye and start reading.

The bell rang signalling the end of the class. Everyone rushes out of the class as Xavier and I walk out together.

"Hey, what happened? Why were you late?"

I had a nightmare of you dying and then I just had a threatening chat with a demon who wants you six feet under.

"I woke up late", I sheepishly lied.

"Yeah, that happens. Wanna come over today? We can complete the rest of our assignments."

Xavier's mother won't be there in the afternoon. It will only be Xavier and me along with his sisters who usually nap at that time.

Something about that made me a little nervous. And not the bad kind.

"Yeah sure. I have your address. I will come over at 3. Is that fine with you?"

"Actually, I want to pick you up. Just text me your address."

Xavier, a guy, wants to pick me up at my house. I mean it's not a date or something. We are just going to be studying. Nothing much. But why does that make me feel like a cage of butterflies was just opened in my stomach.

Xavier was a pretty guy. A handsome one. It's just that I wan't a pretty girl.

I knew that.

He knew that.

"Yeah sure!", my stupid ass squeaked and I left for the next class.

XAVIER'S POV

The sun rays fell on my face, telling me to wake up when all I wanted to do was to stay in my bed.

Hazel was still asleep and I let her be. I jumped into my shower and I let the water consume me.

Standing under the shower, the water ran down my cheeks mixed with my tears. Images from that night filled my head and they didn't budge until the memory was as fresh as an open wound.

"I wish you were dead instead of him. You don't deserve to live, you murderer."

My head spun as the blood rushed to my ears. My throat clogged up as it began hard to breathe.

"You deserve to live, Xavier. Your sisters love you and so does your mother.", I heard a voice. It sounded like someone I knew.

Ophelia.

It was her's. She began living in my head without any rent. It felt like she just switched on the power as the light filled the dark room in my mind. She made my head a better place to live in, without even knowing it.

I heard my mom yell my name and I quickly dried up and got dressed.

I had a bread toast for breakfast with some coffee and hugged my mum goodbye. I couldn't talk to the twins as they were still asleep.

I quickly left for school and saw that I had my first class with Mrs. Wilson, my Literature teacher.

It was a class I shared with Ophelia.

I look for as I enter the room but don't find her.

Maybe she's late. What if she skips school today. Is everything alright. Questions filled my head as I wondered where Ophelia was. She was never late.

"Good Morning class! Hope you had a good weekend. Please take out your copies of The Catcher In The Rye and turn to page 78."

I zoned out halfway through her explanation. I mean, I love Literature. It's just that I can't concentrate when my mind's stuck somewhere else.

"It was nice of you to join us, Ms. White. Would you mind telling us why you were late this morning?"

I looked up and saw Ophelia standing near the doorway. She looked embarrassed. Her ears had turned red as she looked down.

"There was traffic on the way. I'm sorry, Miss. I will take care next time."

The teacher excused her as she scanned the class to choose a seat.

She sat in front of me.

We had planned to meet up today and complete the rest of the assignments. We could do it at the coffee shop again but it would be boring. We could meet up at either of our houses.

My mum had an afternoon shift today so I had look after the twins. I decided to invite her to come over, hoping I wouldn't sound creepy. I wanted to pick her up this time.

I wanted to go on dates with someone who looks at me like the stars and I look at each other. I wanted to meet her parents. I wanted to do a lot of things. But I knew I didn't have enough time.

I didn't know if I was depressed but I knew I wasn't happy. My family would be so much happier with me gone. I mean, my mum would no longer have to worry about my tuition and Hazel and Olivia could find someone better to look up to.

There was a time when I used to fight. I tried to fight the demons with all my strength. But I lost.

Too many times.

I didn't want to give up but I fell.

And I'm still down there.

I was dying and the demons in my soul were waiting for my death.